On The Brink
by mad-one-13
Summary: Zim and Dib always with their petty game of cat and mouse...Until Zim sees some disturbing footage. He's starting to have feelings for our one and only favorite human, but will Dib return his feelings? Warning: ZADR plz read
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I DON'T own Invader Zim...YOU HEAR ME JHONEN! STOP RUBBING IT IN MY FACE!

Warning: ZADR and if you don't like it, then don't read it...because it's my first time writing one of these so be nice...o.k.?

**'Boyfriend'**

While the rest of the world was just waking up to their meaningless Saturday morning rituals in a part of a ho hum community that was no different from any others, a small green alien invader by the name of Zim was cackiling at a new invention of his own making in the privacy of his alien base.

"Yes! I am truly AMAZING! One day I shall rule all you stinkbeasts!" He yelled as he jumped up in his seat and yelled at the loading screen on his computer screen.

Zim was very pleased with himself for he had just set up a particularly advanced spyware camera up in his arch enemy Dibs' home. Now the Dib-beast would have no privacy, and when Zim said no privacy, he ment NO privacy. His camera would be able to follow him discreetly with every move that he made...He would never know. This wed ay whenever he got a lead on Zims' plans Zim would have a forewarning, a little insurance if you please. Zim cackled again at the loading screen as it disappeared and was replaced with a full vision of the Dib human. Zim stopped cackling. The human was apparently trying to divest himself of his own skin. Zim squinted at himself as he realized that Dib must not always wear his black over coat, but that was not all he was trying to do. Zim's eyes widened as he watched Dib pull off his skin tight black shirt with the blue smiley on it. Suddenly Zim got the peculiar feeling that he should turn off the camera right now, he shouldn't be watching this, but he couldn't look away. Dib then started to unzip his pants after first removing his boots. Zim stood staring at the unknowledgeable Dib standing in nothing but his boxers. Suddenly Zim was overcome with another peculiar feeling though this was most unlike the first. Now heat was slowly rising in his cheeks and in another area as well. Zim had never felt like this before and it frightened him. He suddenly wondered what Dib would look like without his pair of long shorts on, at this Zim smacked himself. He looked from his hand and back to the screen again, then as though his perverted thought had drifted through the camera somehow Dib placed his hands around the material at his waist. Coming to his senses at the last moment Zim punched a large purple button and the screen shut off.

Zim sat stunned at what he had seen and was panting lightly. If he could have he also would have perspired.

"What was I thinking?" Zim mused aloud to himself as he always did.

In the corner of the room there was a flash of blue, then there was a loud screech and a fairly large hunk of metal flung itself across the lab at an amazing speed and crash landing on top of Zim's head causing the alien to fall to the floor with a loud clatter.

"GIR! Get OFF of my head!" Zim screeched as the hyperactive, malfunctioning robot broke into a chorus of some song otherwise unknown to the population of man. The robot slowly climbed off his head and stared apathetically at the alien. Zim muttered something about Gir's systems and updating them as he walked to the portal that would take him upstairs through the toilet. He had just reached the opening when the robot spoke in his disgustingly high annoying voice.

"Master has a BOYFRIEND!"

"WHAT did you say!" Zim howled as he spun around to stare at his metallic, blue menace.

"Say who?" The little robot replied innocently.

"Arrgh! NEVERMIND!" Zim threw back as he stormed upstairs.

It was Monday and Dib was eager to get to school as he wolfed through the last of his cereal. He didn't understand it, he hadn't seen Zim all weekend; he must be plotting another diabolical plan to take over the Earth, Dib made it a point to find out what he was planning. At that point Gaz walked into the kitchen with her GS2 and sat down at the table.

"Haven't seen your stupid foreign friend here this weekend."

"He must be plotting something Gaz, and he's not my friend. It's probably something big, like the time he stole mars and tried to squish out all life or that one time with the giant-"

"When I said I haven't seen your friend Dib. I meant it as a statement NOT as a cue for you to start talking..."

"Sorry Gaz. I gotta get to school. I gotta find out what Zim is up to." Dib said, completely disregarding what his scary sister had said as he grabbed his stuff and darted out the door. Gaz grabbed the box of cereal and tipped it upside down over an empty bowl waiting on the table. A few crumbs fell into the crockery.

"Dib ate all the cereal...HE WILL DIE!"

Zim pondered Gir's statment in the privacy of his underground base as Gir watched the Scary Monkey Show upatairs. 'Boyfriend'? Wasn't that some form of human companionship? Why would he want Dib as a companion? Did his feelings have something to do with 'boyfriend'? Zim couldn't stop thinking about the Dib-human- thing for some reason, but these weren't the normal thoughts he had of Dib monkey. Whenever he started to think of Dib nowadays he would remember that scene he had witnessed on the spycam which he hadn't had the audacity to turn on since the incident. He would think of things like his peach colored skin, his broad shoulders, his chest...how it would feel to grab ahold of the small earthanoids'... AHH! He was doing it again! What was this feeling? Zim stared abashed at himself, he felt so shameful yet he did not fully understand why. He understood that these thoughts he was having about Dib wheren't hateful like they should be and that made him feel ashamed, but there was something else. For some reason he longed to hear his voice, just the usual threats and insults were ok, but he NEEDED to hear them. Everytime he thought of Dib he got hot in the face for some reason he felt extremely...what was the word?...embarrassed! That was it embarrassed as if he were naked in front of him, but there was no need to feel like this, no reason at all. No Irken should feel inferior to an earthanoid scum baby! Why, the very thought of it enraged him! Yet he couldn't deny what he felt. He decided he would not act upon these feelings until he got more information on the subject. He decided to contact the Tallest and tell him of these...emotions...he had been having.

"WWWWWHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEE! HHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! The Scary Monkey Show went off! I need it to come back on! I need it or I will go IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNE!" Gir screeched with glass breaking capacity.

"Come on Gir...Let's go get some tacos..."

"TACOS!"

Dib was starting to worry. Zim hadn't been at school all week and it was now Thursday. Had he already put his evil plans into action? No Dib would be the first to know, surely Zim would want to gloat about it, but as far as he could tell Zim was doing absolutely nothing these past few days. He had even gone over to Zim's house to spy on him, but he would just sit on his fake couch and think and sometimes talk aloud to himself while his crazy robot bounded happily around the place. Something wasn't right here, and he was going to find out what it was. Was Zim sick, could he get sick? He did have reactions to rain and the food, could he have possibly have fallen ill? He didn't look in poor condition, he looked perfectly fine, but whatever it was Dib promised himself he would find out if he had to walk up and knock on his front door.

Well that's it for chappie 1 please R&R. This is my first ZADR so no flamers...CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISICM ONLY...please?


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, you know I really didn't think people would like my story and i'm sorry it took so long to update...I had to go to my grandparents house and they don't have the internet.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Invader Zim...it hurts to admit it, but I don't...I just...don't. sniff

**Warning:** ZADR and if you don't like it you can kiss my $$...that is if you want to...

**Chapter 2**

"So...I was kind of wondering if you had any advice on how to deal with these...thingies..." Zim stated after his explanation to the Tallest, who were obviously shaking with laughter on the other end of the line, unknown to the preoccupied Irken.

"Oh! Well snicker um...I think you should go along with it Zim" Purple said as Red ducked out of sight.

"You do!" Zim asked incredulously, his eyes widening in shock.

"Yeah!" Red chimed in as he sidled back into view."That way you can...um gather...information-", At this point Red underwent such a bad fit of the giggles he grasped his stomach and slid to the floor to keep from letting it overflow.

Zim started analyzing what the Tallest said, and by the time he had turned back they were both keeping their faces respectively straight. Zim was about to say something when the computer announced that there was someone at the door.

Feeling slightly foolish, walking in plain sight up to Zim's house like this Dib sighed and rung the doorbell, immediately Gir showed up in his lame dog costume.

"Hello!"

"Uh...hi. I was just wondering if-"

"Masters' boyfriend!"

Dib cringed. "His...what? Um...nevermind" Did shook off the feeling the something very weird was going to happen tonight and proclaimed uneasily that it was just one of the robots' insane statements.

"So...Where's Zim?"

"Who?"

"Zim..."

"Who?"

"You know...alien, has green sk-"

"What are you doing here Dib!" Zim said shakily. Zim didn't understand, he thought he was beginning to get over these weird thoughts and things he was having for the human, but now that he saw the Dib- stink in person, they returned full throtle. Now Zim was startled to realize that he was somewhat glad that Dib was here, and hearing his own voice shaking didn't help his resolve.

Being cut off by Zim wasn't at all unusual, but that wasn't why Dib was looking at Zim the way he was...okay so maybe he was staring, but who wouldn't. As if Zim's appearance wasn't enough, though he had gotten taller in the last couple of years, but he still was green and he still didn't have ears. No, Dib wasn't staring at Zim in that sense, but...did Zim's voice just quaver? Zim never sounds like that, it just wasn't right. Even if he had no idea what he was doing or talking about, he always sounded confident, but he sure as hell didn't sound confident right now.

Zim started to sweat. The human hadn't answered him at all, not even with a, 'I know what you're up to Zim!' Even though he wasn't up to anything it still would have been reasurring to have him say something like that, but no- the human did nothing but blankly stare at him as if he couldn't believe his eyes. Was something wrong with Zim? Did he suddenly sprout antlers or something? Something in his chest was thumping madly. What was this? Why did he suddenly feel this way. He hadn't set eyes on Dib for days and he had felt fine, but suddenly-...Oh, now he understood perfectly.

"You! You booby trapped yourself or something didn't you!"

"What!"

He looked confused, maybe he really hadn't done anything to himself, or maybe he had done something to Zim! Yes, that must be it! He had done something to him when he was spying! Somehow he had known and had done something!

"What did you do to me Dib stink!"

"I didn't do any-"

"YOU'RE LYING!"

"Zim I came over here to find out what you were up to!"

Zim was suddenly struck with a thought.

"You...wanted to see Zim?"

"Wanted to see what you- wait. Why am I telling you this?"

Zim was filled with a peculiar feeling that he couldn't quite place...happiness? satisfaction? Pleasure? He didn't know but he liked the feeling immensely. The scene from the spycam came back to him and he was struck with a longing to be physically close to Dib. He moved closer to were Dib was standing framed in the doorway and closed the open door.

"Zim, what are you doing?" Dib said as he moved further into the room away from the door and Zim.

"You're a human, Dib..." Zim trailed off.

Suddenly Dib was sure Zim was going to capture him and run experiments on him or something as Zim once again approached within a few feet of him, but Zim's next question threw him off his track completely.

"Are you familiar with a feeling to were you can't get someone off your mind?"

Dib was sure that this conversation was going somewhere that he wasn't willing to go.

"Uh-"

"For some reason, I seem to not be able to get you off my mind."

This was too weird, it sounded kind of like Zim thought he was in love with- no! No the thought of that is too outrageous! The thought of it made Dib laugh uncontrollably.

Zim didn't understand, he thought he had the upper hand in the conversation, but Dib all of a sudden just started laughing at him. His feeling of satisfaction or whatever it was vanished with Dib's laughter.

"What are you laughing at me for! I demand you to stop pitiful human!" Zim shouted in outrage.

Dib straightened up and said trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.

"It's called love, Zim."

"This...love...tell me more."

"Well it's just a sort of affection for another person, someone you care about."

Zim was confused, the word love seemed to fit his state of elation he had a moment ago, before Dib started laughing at him, but he didn't really care for Dib...or did he? He looked over at Dib who was slightly smiling at him as if he knew something Zim didn't.

"Now do you see, that it's completely-"

Zim cut Dib off one more time that night as he leaned up and kissed him firmly on the mouth.

Dib pushed Zim off of him.

"What do you think you're doing Zim?"

"I don't know. I was trying to-"

"Zim! I know what you're thinking, but you can't be in love with me!"

"Why not?"

"Because you're trying to take over the world and i'm trying to save it! It could never work!"

"Yes it can!"

"How could it? And even then I don't think-"

Dib looked up at Zim's widened eyes and felt the heat travel to his cheeks.

"Dib.."

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Your face is all red."

Dib looked down at the foor. This was all too weird, he didn't think he could take this. Zim, in love with him? I mean it wasn't necessarily bad, but I mean...come on? Who saw this coming? Dib looked back up at Zim, he looked forlorn as if he just lost his best friend or something, but that didn't make sense! I mean sure Dib just let him down, but you couldn't lose a friend that you never had. Dib wondered just how it would feel to be friends with Zim, it really was ironic that the one person who actually wanted to be with Dib was the one he was enemies with. Maybe he didn't give Zim enough credit, Dib actually felt sort of happy that someone felt that way for him. But, Zim didn't have anyone either, just that robot, but otherwise he was alone too. Maybe, just maybe one of Zim's reasons for taking over the world was because he didn't belong in it. If Dib could help him feel accepted then maybe he wouldn't seem so obsessed with it. Just then a thought occured to him-

"Zim?"

Zim looked up hopefully.

"Maybe this could work somehow."

"Really! Tell Zim!"

"I can't let you destroy the Earth, bu-"

"Why?"

"Because I live here."

"But you don't belong here."

"How do you know?"

"No one here cares about you at all, Dib."

"You do."

"Yes, but...but I don't belong here."

"Maybe you don't belong with the Irkens, Zim, just like I don't belong with the humans."

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Okay, we can work this out...somehow. How about, I won't be mean to you anymore. If you don't try to take over the world anymore."

"I couldn't do that! I have to complete my mission! If I don't-"

"But they don't appreciate you!"

"Don't talk about what you don-"

"They won't care about you the way I do, Zim!"

Why did I say that? I'm not sure I love him, but I couldn't let Zim go that easily, especially since no one else will probably ever care about me, no one ever had before.

"You mean...you care...about me?"

"I don't...i'm not sure...I know that I feel like I like you..." Dib looked up and saw Zim looking hopefully at him.

"Dib..." Zim said smiling slightly.

"Yes?"

"I think I can deal with that."

Dib smiled and kissed him gently on the top of the head. Zim smiled and wrapped his arms around his waist and for a while they stayed just like that...

Okay, that's chappie 2 and they are older than they are in the show, I forgot to put that in there somewhere...Hope you enjoyed it. Please review...please...


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Well...You must know I don't own anything, because if I did own something...I wouldn't be writting fanfiction that's for sure...

Sorry about the wait people. I sort of got grounded and then when I got ungrounded I was all 'Oh yeah! I am sooo gonna update now.' Then I sat down to type and writers block hit me like a migraine, so bear with me here.

**Chapter 3**

Dib felt surprisingly well about his day so far. After he had left Zim's house and had come home Gaz was playing her Game Slave 2 and his dad was no where in sight so he faced no interogation about his whereabouts. Though Gaz had paused her game and gave him a cross between a glare and inquire as if she had known what had happened, but he supposed that was just his concience speaking, because then she had merely said something about him eating all the cereal and had beaten him until she had gotten bored and walked off. Apart from that, the next few days where bliss. Him and Zim had a sort of unspoken agreement to not talking about Zim's plans to take over the world, but Dib honestly didn't think that Zim was planning anything. There were none of the usual signs of smug triumph he usually wore when he believed he had won, in fact, he appeared positively genuine. Dib actually witnessed Zim smiling...may God be his witness; it was not a smirk, scowl, or grin it was a pleasant, satisfied, sincere smile. Dib liked this new Zim, in his mind it suited him better than the evil manipulative Zim. Dib still wasn't sure what he felt for the alien, but it certainly different than what he felt before, and considerably in Zim's favor this time.

All he had ever known about Zim was that he wanted to take over Earth, but apart from that there was nothing. Dib now knew that there was more to Zim than his mission; if only he could get Zim to realize that. There was so much more personality to Zim that he didn't even think Zim himself knew he had. Dib never realized how nice of a person Zim was apart from the whole ' i'm going to take over the Earth' thing. They still hadn't discussed it yet since that night, but Dib knew it was coming. He could tell by the way Zim's eyes shifted from his gaze or how he would be happily chatting one minute, but drift off into his own thoughts in another, and his face would fall and his eyes would appear to be crying though there were no tears. Dib knew it was coming, he could feel it.

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"He didn't know what he was talking about. He said that he doesn't think I belong with the Irkens! But he is wrong isn't he?! How could he even say something like that to the Great Zim?!"

For the first time since, well, ever really the Tallest listened to Zim's rant. Which was unheard of, they were positively gaping open mouthed at Zim who took no notice at the moment. Zim had finally worked up the gall to call the Tallest and tell them what happened that night with Dib, but for some strange reason he felt terrible doing it and once he started he couldn't stop talking. After he had cooled down he stopped and turned his head towards the Tallest for a verdict...

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Dib hadn't seen Zim at school today which hadn't happened ever since Zim had confessed his love for him. Lying down in his bed several hours after he had actually made the decision to try to sleep; he felt lonely, he wanted Zim. ' I geuss I didn't realize how attatched to him I was becoming...' Dib thought as he closed his eyes trying to block thoughts of Zim, but it was no use, his mind obviously wasn't going to relent and sent a mental picture of Zim to Dib's brain. Dib shook his head which jarred his thoughts a little. He had a bad feeling like things were going down hill fast, Dib honestly didn't think that their relationship together wasn't going to last much longer. I mean honesty is the basis of a realtionship right? So how were they supposed to stay together if they were keeping this ' Earth debate' I geuss it should be called; under the covers? Almost as if his thoughts had floated out of his window, he heard a tap on the glass. Dib decided to ignore it and go back to his thoughts...another tap...another...

Finally relenquishing the fact of getting any sleep tonight he pulled the sheets off of him and crawled over to the window above the lower edge of his bed. Looking out of thick pane he saw Zim standing down on the ground gazing up at him. Dib raised the window up, and stared incredulously down at the ground as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

"What are you doing here Zim?"

"I wanted to talk...now."

Dib had a feeling he knew where this was going and was none too keen to trek on.

"Can't this wait till morning Zim? It's in the middle of the night."

"It's REALLY important. Zim must talk about it!" Zim said in his 'I will rule you all' voice, as Dib liked to call it.

"Okay, Okay just be quiet. Gaz'll wake up...Hold on for a second."

Dib disappeared from the window for a few minutes and reappeared again, this time with an armload of something that he dropped out the window. It clattered down the side of the house and ended at Zim's feet. It was a make shift ladder, but it wasn't constructed with the 'best' of materials. Zim looked up at Dib, shocked.

"I swear it's safe Zim. Gaz uses it to sneak out at night after dad gets home and she thinks i'm out spying on you."

Zim, somewhat reasurred clambered up it and landed sprawled on Dib's bed. Dib pulled the rope ladder back up through the window, rolled it up and went out of his bedroom for moment and came tip toeing back in, closing the door quietly behind him. It was then that Zim noticed that Dib wore nothing but a pair of what looked like shorts, on when he slept. Zim, startled, looked away and his cheeks tinted blue for a couple of seconds. Dib sat down next to Zim on his bed, saw his expression and smiled.

"What?"

"Oh! uh nothing..."

"Come on Zim, you can tell me."

"It's just, you aren't wearing any pants."

"Oh!" Dib blushed and quickly slid under his sheets and propped his back up on his pillows and sat up, admiring Zim's blue tinted blush while deepening his own. He felt his face burning and steered the conversation away from the lack of clothing he had on.

"You...wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Oh! That..."Zim's face fell and he looked solemly at the carpet.

"Um...I- that is 'we' have to talk about me taking ov-"

"Look. Zim, I know your mission is important, but the Earth is my home and I just can't let you- well, you know..." He trailed off and looked up at Zim. He saw Zim had that crying look in his eyes, but no tears fell.

"Zim?"

"There isn't...a mission anymore, Dib."

"What do you mean? I don't think I-"

"There's just not going to be a mission anymore."

"Zim, what happened?" Dib asked. Zim looked up into Dib's face and saw concern etched in his gaze. Zim decided he owed Dib the truth.

"The Tallest...It was all fake. They just made it all up- and..." Zim broke down and his form shook as Dib leaned over and pulled Zim's slender green body towards him in a comforting embrace. As hard as it was for Zim, he had to tell Dib the last of it.

"Y-you were r-right all along. I don't belong with the I-Irkens."Zim stuttered.

"No, you don't." Dib said in a commanding tone. Zim looked up at Dib questioningly with undisguised red ruby eyes.

"You belong with me." Zim gave a weak smile and curled up against Dib's bare chest feeling his chest rise and fall as he inhaled, there was something comforting about the way it happened consistantly, never ended. Dib was the only thing Zim had at the moment and he was glad Dib hadn't pressed on the issue and purged him of more information. The Dib creature was peculiar sometimes, he would do things that were uncharacteristic of himself and took Zim off guard. This was one of those times, he hadn't expected Dib to just accept his explanation, but he had; maybe it was just another thing about the concept of love, it was just one of those things that happened with no explanation.

"Hey, Zim?"

"Hmm..."

"I...I think I love you..."Dib managed to get out and looked at Zim for a reaction. Zim looked up and smiled.

"I love you too...And Dib?"

"Yeah?"

"We're not that different...you and I. We're both on the edge of things aren't we?"

"On the brink...I get it."

"But, I have you and you have me."

"Yeah...and Zim?"

"Huh?"

"I'll always be there for you."

Zim felt a hot sensation dropping into his stomach, not an unpleasant sensation, but a startling one.

"Hey Dib?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I could maybe stay here for the night?" Zim's words came out in a rush as if he was afraid of the answer he would get. Dib contemplated the concept for a moment. His dad wouldn't be home until later tomorrow night and he wasn't exactly sure of what Gaz's reaction would be, but quickly squashed the fact by deciding he didn't want Zim going home in this state, not when he had been let down and betrayed by his own species.

"Sure Zim." Dib said with a reassuring smile as he scooted over and let Zim curl up next to him pushing down the blush that threatened to surface. Dib felt Zim lock his arms around his waist and Dib, reassured that everything would be fine closed his eyes and fell asleep.

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Sorry it took so long, again. I know i'm sort of rushing everything in here but there's gonna be a plot that i'm sort of eager to get to, I usually don't rush my stories this much though... Also there was alot of conversation in this chappie, I also thought it was sort of fluffy...Anyway, review please!


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